About

Hi, I’m Serge – the person behind GearAndFish.

I started this site for a simple reason: choosing fishing gear is harder than it should be.

Every reel promises smoother drag. Every rod is lighter, stronger, and more sensitive. Fish finders come with pages of features that aren’t always easy to compare, and fishing line can look almost identical until you start digging into diameter, strength, stretch, abrasion resistance, and how anglers actually use it.

At the same time, a lot of online buying guides repeat the same popular products without explaining who they’re really for – or why one option makes more sense than another.

GearAndFish exists to do that research properly.

What we actually do

We don’t pretend every product on this site has been personally tested on the water. Instead, our recommendations are built from multiple sources:

We study real owner feedback. We read buyer reviews across major retailers and look for recurring patterns – durability problems, common complaints, long-term reliability, setup issues, and the things owners consistently like.
We compare specifications carefully. Gear ratios, drag ratings, rod power and action, line capacity, sonar frequencies, dimensions, materials, weight, and other relevant specs are checked against manufacturer information and product documentation whenever possible.
We look beyond product pages. Fishing forums, Reddit communities, specialist discussions, retailer Q&A sections, manuals, and other useful sources help us understand how gear performs in the situations anglers actually buy it for.
We compare products for a specific use case. A reel that makes sense for freshwater bass fishing may be a poor choice for saltwater. A great ultralight rod isn’t automatically a great all-around rod. We try to explain those differences instead of simply calling one product “the best.”
We don’t invent hands-on experience. If we haven’t personally used a product, we won’t write as though we have. When personal experience is relevant, it will be clearly identified.

You can read more about the research and selection process on our How We Pick Gear page.

A bit about me

I’m not a tournament pro, sponsored angler, or fishing-industry insider.

I’m the person behind GearAndFish – researching products, comparing specifications, digging through owner experiences, and trying to turn an overwhelming amount of fishing-gear information into something genuinely useful.

The goal isn’t to tell you that every new rod, reel, lure, or piece of electronics is amazing.

It’s to help you understand the differences, avoid obvious bad purchases, and choose gear that actually fits the way you fish.

How this site makes money

GearAndFish is reader-supported. When you buy something through links on the site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no additional cost to you.

That doesn’t determine which products we recommend. Brands can’t pay for a position in our rankings, and we don’t publish paid reviews disguised as editorial recommendations.

You can read the full details on our Affiliate Disclosure page.